The Wolseley is set to launch a hotel in New York following more than two decades of culinary glory in London.
The London food institution, famed for its impressive design and popularity, has settled on a stateside expansion after more than two years of searching for the perfect place to launch its hotel venture.
Minor Hotels will operate the 76-bedroom property near Times Square in midtown Manhattan, featuring a cellar-level speakeasy bar, wellness centre and an all-day brasserie.
The brand’s flagship hotel is set to open in early 2027 at the former Lambs Club clubhouse.
The Wolseley has become a lynchpin in London’s dining scene, with restaurants in Piccadilly and the City, both attracting celebrities, theatregoers, tourists and city traders alike.
The original Wolseley opened in a former car showroom near The Ritz in 2003, before a second restaurant was launched at the former House of Fraser department store on King William Street in 2023.
Dilip Rajakarier, chief executive of Minor International, the parent company of Minor Hotels, told The Times that the New York location “fits with the Wolseley brand to a T.”
He added a launch in America would pave the way for international expansion, though the group will remain “selective” on where it opens.
“Some people will say that is a low number, but for us we want to be very, very selective. In terms of having 50 Wolseleys or something, that is not the goal for us.”
Instead, the brand is planning five new restaurants and hotels across a five to seven year period. Two sites are already reported to be secured in the Middle East.
Minor International took on a majority stake in The Wolseley Hospitality Group, formerly Corbin & King, in 2017.
The Wolseley is not the only restaurant eyeing up opportunities in the US, as Hawksmoor and Dishoom have both looked to move stateside. JKS Restaurants also launched a Las Vegas branch of Gymkhana last year, with more US restaurants in the pipeline.
